Bombay Airport’s Terminal 2 Art Wall To Depict Parsi-Style Theatre

Having already set the standard in terms of artistic beauty, the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport’s (CSIA) T2 terminal is now undergoing the completion of its ‘art museum’ on the walls, set to be opened by second half of this year.

The remaining space constitutes about 70 per cent of the wall. Airport operator officials claimed that the art work will focus on the culture of the bye-gone eras, including the Parsi proscenium theatre curtains of Mumbai, with their rich repertoire of street fascias and portals. The old Parsi style proscenium theater went into oblivion after the arrival and popularization of cinema in India. Parsi theatre companies, which were largely owned by the Parsi business community during 1850-1930s, were a very popular form of entertainment in the Bombay Presidency region of western India and few parts of North India.

“The renowned Parsi proscenium theater curtains of Mumbai will add a layer of whimsy with three dimensional sections of stone facades and jharokhas,” said an airport insider.

The Jay He website, operated by CSIA, states, “The manifestation of India’s many faceted talents, the wall includes interactive media elements. Faces of visitors gazing at the fascias are projected onto the built forms, making the observer. The observed shutter opens up occasionally to reveal the world within while faces keep changing in response to the audience highlighting the vulnerable existence of these fast disappearing heritage building.”

Apart from that, artist Anjolie Menon and Robyn Beeche interpret the door as face of the house by juxtaposing several portraits into a unified whole.

Once complete, the art wall will have nearly 7,000 artifacts, which over 1,500 artists toiled to complete. The design and planning team is lead by Rajeev Sethi, one of country’s leading curators and scenographers, who spent over four and half years to curate the work.